Ordnance



juflv & fl@u J. c. TRQTTER 3 ORDNANCE 7 Filed Dec. 13, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet l ENVENTOR Patented July 9 i943 ORDNAN CE John 0. Trotter,

Bell Aircraft Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to Corporation, Buflalo, N.Y.

7 Application December 13, 1941, Serial No. 422,908

12 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance, and more particularly toimprovements in flexibly mounted multiple machine gun batteries and thelike.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improved directionalstability in multiple batteries of the type that are mounted to befreely pivotable about an axis for aiming purposes and wherein the gunbarrel axes are oflset from said pivot axis. Another object of theinvention is to provide a multiple gun battery of the character referredto which is of improved compactness and lesser overall dimension.another object of the invention is to provide an improved twin-gunbattery unit wherein the cartridge belt link ejection chute meansthereof is of improved character. Another object of the invention is toprovide an improved cartridge belt link ejection chute device for use inconnection with paired machine guns or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gun batteryincluding a pair of machine guns or the like mounted in parallel upon-acoon support so as to be pivotable as a unit relative to the support andincluding improved belt link ejection chute means disposed to extendbetween said guns. Another object of the invention is to provide animproved cartridge belt link ejection chute device for use inconjunction with and disposed to extend between paired machine guns orthe like, wherein said chute means is of reduced width wherebyrotational moments of the machine gun recoil forces about the centerline of said gun unit are of reduced order. Other objects and advantagesof the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a twin-gun mounting device including anejected link discharge chute arrangement of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially along line iii-II of Fig. 1.

The drawings illustrate the invention in connection with a mount forsupporting a pair of machine guns which are arranged in parallel anddesignated at iiii. The guns ill-48 are arranged to be fed bycorresponding cartridge belts threading into the respective cartridgeieedway and feed pawl mechanisms thereof through suitable aperturesleading into the outer side wall portions of the respective gun casings;and to discharge their disintegrated belt links through apertures in theopposed inner wall portions oi the gun casings, as indicated by thearrows of the drawing (Fig. 2). Each gun is mounted upon a correspondingpair of bearer tubes i2-|2 extending parallel to the under surface ofthe respective gun and longitudinally thereof. The bearer tubescorresponding to each gun are interconnected by means of transversebrackets H-IG at opposite ends thereof; and the guns IU-Hl are slidablymounted for reciprocation longitudinally of the respective bearer tubesets by means of slide bearing brackets |i-i8 adjacent forward andrearward end portions thereof, respectively. Piston-cylinder shockabsorber devices are connected to extend between corresponding of theslide bearing and transverse bracket devices iii-i6, as indicated at 20(Fig.

'l); and therefore it will be understood that each gun is separatelymounted upon a pair of corresponding bearer tubes so as to be freelyreciprocable longitudinally thereof, and that a shock absorbing deviceis thus arranged in conjunction with each machine gun bearer tube unitfor individual control of the recoil and counter recoil operations ofthe respective guns.

Each pair of bearer'tube units is provided intermediately of its endswith a mounting bracket having a laterally extending arm portion 22disposed transversely of and fixedly mounted upon corresponding 01 thebearer tubes i2-i2 so as to be integral therewith. Upright portions24-28 extend from each of the corresponding bracket base portions 2222so as to be adjacent the corresponding inner side portions of therespective machine guns. The bracket portions 24-24 are arranged attheir upper ends to be connected by means of a transverse shaft 25extending integrally with the opposed bracket structures so that the twomachine gun bearer tube units are thereby interconnected by means ofrigid structure so as to be unitary.

The transverse mounting shaft 25 is journaled in a bearing block 26which is carried by an upright plate 28 disposed centrally of the gununit and extending in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axesof the gun Hlifl. At its lower edge the plate 28 is formed to extendintegrally from a chambered casing structure 30 which is in turn fixedat its forward end portion by meansof connectors 32 to an upright post34 (Fig. 1). The post 34 is adapted to be rotatably mounted within asuitably socketed base support (not shown), as will be understood bythose versed in the gun mount art, whereby the twin gun unit will bemounted so as to be freely pivotable about the vertical axis of themounting post 34 for aiming adjustments of the gun battery in azimuth.Also, by reason of the shaft-bearing connection 25-28 the guns andbearer tubes unit is freely rotatable about the horizontal axis of theshaft 25 relative to the gun support casing and post structure 30-34,for aiming adjustments of the gun battery in elevation.

A pair of opposed circular side wall plates 40-40 are mounted uponcorresponding of the gun support brackets 24-24, as by means of fixedconnectors 42, so as to rotate unitarily with the gun battery andcoaxially of the bearing shaft 25 upon aiming adjustments of the gunbattery in elevation. The side plates 40-40 are perforated as indicatedat 44-44 in registry with the cartridge belt link ejection ports of thecorresponding of the gims il 0; and link deflector plates 46-48 aremounted as at 41-41 to extend from corresponding of said guns throughthe perforated portions of the side plates 40-40 for guiding the ejectedcartridge belt links as they are thrown from the gun link ejection portsinto the corresponding chamber spaces which are provided between thecenter plate 28 and the side plates 40-40. Thus, the links are directedas indicated at 48-48 by the deflector devices 48-48 to move in smoothcurving paths leading first laterally into the corresponding linkreceiving chamber portions of the mount device and thence downwardlytherethrough as indicated at 48-49 for final discharge through the openbottom portion 50 of the casing structure 30.

The central plate and side plate portions 28-40-40 are so relativelyspaced as to provide corresponding chambers at opposite sides. of thecenter plate 28 of sufiicient width to accommodate the cartridge beltlinks in free sliding relation therewithin when the links are disposedflatwise of the chambers. Thus, it will be understood that the totalwidth of the link receiving housing structure between the opposed sideplate portions 40-40 will be only slightly greater than twice theminimum dimension of the links which are to be accommodated, plus thethickness of the central plate 28. Consequently, the total width of theejected link accommodating structure of the invention may besubstantially reduced compared to prior art devices for similarpurposes. For example, in my prior Patent No. 2,243,365 I disclosed asomewhat similar twin-gun mount and ejected link discharge structurewherein the link accommodating housing structure comprised only a pairof outer walls corresponding to the side wall members 40-40 of thepresent invention; and in such case no equivalent of the center plateportion 28 of the present invention was provided or suggested.Consequently, it was necessary in the structure of my earlier patent toprovide the link accommodating structure to be of a width dimension morethan twice the maximum overall dimension of the link to be accommodated,because of the tendency of the oppositely ejecting links to move fromthe opposed gun ports into the single link accommodating chamber in theform of oppositely directed streams of links tending to jam together andbridge the space between the side walls thereof unless the space betweenthe side walls measured more than twice the overall length dimension ofthe links.

Thus, for example, in the case of standard 50 caliber machine guncartridge belts the links measure about T's inch in thickness and areabout 1% inches long. Therefore, it is necessary in such case inconnection with the device of my asaa iso prior patent referred to, toprovide the link, accommodating chute structure of an inner widthdimension of about 3% inches in order to avoid jamming of the links;whereas in the case of the present invention the total width dimensionbetween the opposed side wall portions 40-40 of the link housingstructure may be of the order of only about 2 inches, and no jamming oflinks will result. Consequently, the present invention enables the gunsI0-i0 of the twin-gun to be placed approximately 1%, inches" closertogether, and therefore they may each be mounted about inch closer tothe vertical axis of rotation of the gun unit about the mounting shaft34, than can be the case in connection with the disclosure of my priorpatent referred to.

It will be appreciated that as a result of this closer mounting of theguns relative to the axis of azimuth rotation, the rotational moments ofthe gun recoil forces relative to this axis will thereby be ofsubstantially reduced order compared to gun mount arrangements of theprior art. Consequently, the gun battery of the present invention isinherently more stable when the guns of the battery at opposite sides ofthe azimuth pivot axis are firing irregularly or in non-synchronizedrelation; and the battery is therefore adapted to be handled and aimedby the gunner with increased facility and accuracy, and the firingthereof wil1 be of greatly improved efiectiveness.

It will be understood that the combination gun battery mount support andejected link receiver of the invention provides an unusually compactplural gun mount arrangement wherein the guns are individually mountedfor shock absorbing reciprocation relative to the unitary gun mountstructure, without interfering with free universal pivoting of the gunmount unit structure. The combination mount support and link receiverdevice is disposed to extend between the guns of the battery so as toregister with the link ejection ports of the respective gun casings, andis so formed and arranged as to be adapted to receive the gun ejectedlinks in an improved manner irrespective of the gun reciprocativemovements relative thereto in connection with recoil and counter-recoiloperation. The above referred to features and advantages are attained incombination with the additional important advantage provided by reasonof the novel formation and arrangement of the mount support and linkreceiver device whereby the latter is adapted to convey the gun ejectedlinks away from the guns in improved manner while being of reduced widthwhereby the guns of the battery are mounted at positions substantiallycloser to the azimuth pivot axis of the gun battery for improveddirectional stability compared to devices of the prior art.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described indetail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that theinvention is not so limited but that various changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In ordnance, a twin-gun battery comprising a support, a pair ofmachine guns mounted in parallel upon said support, a pivot connectiondevice formed on said support for mounting the latter to be pivotablefor azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axis extendingbetween said guns, said guns having oppositely facing link ejectionports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upondisintegration of the feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chutedevice disposed intermediateiy of saiduns and having apertured wallportions thereof in registry with the corresponding-link ejection portsof said guns and centrally disposed partition means extendingtransversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a pairof separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns.

2. In ordnance, a twin gun battery comprising i a support, a pair ofmachine guns mounted in parallel upon said support, a pivotconnection'device formed on said support for mounting the latter to bepivotable for azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axisextending between said guns and offset from the respective longitudinalcenter lines thereof, said guns haviii ing oppositely facing linkejection ports for dis-.

charge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of thegun feeding cartridge'belts,

an ejected link chute disposed intermediately of said guns and havingapertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding linkejection ports of said guns, and a centrally disposed partitionextending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latterinto-a pair of separate link receiving chambers'lying adjacentrespective of said guns, said chambers having width dimensions onlyslightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimension of said linkswhereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but prevented fromrotating about transverse axes during movement through saidv chutedevice.

3. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a support, a pluralityof machine guns mounted upon said support, a pivot connection deviceformed on said support for mounting the latter to be pivotable forazimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axis extendingbetween said guns and oifset from the respective longitudinal centerlines thereof, said guns having link ejection ports for discharge ofcartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gunfeeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute device disposedintermediately of said guns and having apertured wall portions thereofin registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns andpartition means extending transversely of said chute device so as todivide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chamberslying adjacent respective of said guns, said chambers having widthdimensions only slightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimensionof said links whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough butprevented from rotating about transverse axes during movement throughsaid chute device.

4. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machineguns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt linkstherefrom, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of saidguns and having link receiver portions thereof in registry with thecorresponding link ejection ports of said guns and transversely support,a pivot connection device formed on said support for mounting the latterto be pivotable for azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about anaxis extending between said guns and offset from the respectivelongitudinal center lines thereof, said guns having link ejection portsfor discharge of'cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegrationof the gun feeding car tridge belts, an ejected link chute devicedisposed intermedlately of said guns and having link reeeiver portionsthereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of saidguns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device soas to divide the latter into a plurality of separate link receivingchambers lying adjacent respective of said guns, each of said chambershaving a width dimension only slightly greater than the fiatwisethickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidabletherethrough but are prevented from rotating about more than one axisduring movement thereof through said chute device.

6. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery com! prising a plurality ofmachine guns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge beltlinks therefrom, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately ofsaid guns and having link receiver portions thereof in registry with thecorresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition meansextending transversely of said chute device and parallel to said guns soas to divide said chute device into a plurality of separate linkreceiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns. '7. In ordnance, amultiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machine guns having linkejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upondisintegration of the gun feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chutedevice disposed intermediateiy of said guns and having apertured wallportions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection portsof said guns and partition means extending of said chute device so as todivide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chamberslying adjacent respective of said guns. said guns being mounted as aunit so as to be pivotable in elevation upon said partition means, saidchute device being pivotally mounted upon a base support so as toprovide a gun battery azimuth pivot axis extending between said guns andoffset from the respective longitudinal center lines thereof, saidchambers having width dimensions only slightly greater than the flatwisethickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidabletherethrough but prevented from rotating about transverse axes duringmovement through said chute device.

8. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machineguns having link election ports for discharge of cartridge belt linkstherefrom, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of saidguns and having link receiver portions thereof in registry with thecorresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition meansextending transversely of said' chute device so as to divide the latterinto a plurality of separate link receiving chambers adjacent respectiveof said guns, said guns being pivotally mounted as a unit forelevational adjustment upon said chute device, and said chute devicebeing pivotally mounted upon a base support for azimuth adjustment ofsaid gun battery.

9. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machineguns having link device disposed intermediately of said ejection portsfor discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegrationof the gun feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute guns andhaving apertured wall portions thereof in registry with thecorresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition meansextending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latterinto a plurality of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacentrespective of said guns, said guns being mounted as a unit so as to bepivotable in elevation upon said partition means, said chute devicebeing pivotally mounted upon a base support so as to provide a gunbattery azimuth pivot axis extending between said guns and oifset fromthe respective longitudinal center lines thereof.

10. In ordnance, a twin gun battery comprising a frame support a pair ofmachine guns mounted for independent recoil reciprocation upon saidframe support, said guns having link ejection ports for discharge ofcartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gunfeeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute device pivotally mountedupon said frame support, said chute device being disposed intermediatelyof said guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry withthe corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition meansextending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latterinto a pair of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacentrespective of said guns, each of said chambers having a width dimensiononly slightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimension of saidlinks whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but areprevented from rotating about transverse axes during movement throughsaid chute device, said chute device having a pivot connection deviceformed thereon for mounting of said chute device upon a base so as to bepivotable thereon about an axis transverse to the axis of said pivotalsupport of said frame support.

11. In ordnance, a twin gun battery comprising a frame, a pair ofmachine guns mounted upon said frame to reciprocate independentlythereon in response to recoil forces, an ejected link chute devicedisposed intermediately of said guns and having ejected link receiverportions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection portsof said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chutedevice so as to divide the latter into a pair of separate link receivingchambers adjacent respective of said guns, said frame being pivotallymounted upon said chute device and said chute device being adapted to bepivotally mounted upon a base support for universal adjustments of saidgun battery.

'12. A twin-gun battery comprising a pair of machine guns mounted inparallel for firing cartridge from disintegrating cartridge beltscomprising successive cartridges interconnected by links, said gunshaving oppositely facing link ejection ports for discharge of saidcartridge belt links upon disintegration of said belts, an ejected linkchute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having aperturedwall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejectionports of said guns and centrally disposed partition means extendingtransversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a pairof separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns.

JOHN C. TR/OTTER.

